I caught a little buck fever last night as I put the glass on a dandy buck. The last few years Iíve been pretty concerned with looking a buck over and mentally assessing his quality as I see it. Itís been a minute since Iíve le my emotions ride and takeover. Well, thatís just what happened this go round. After 5 days straight of hunting, I was able to turn up a total of 3 quality bucks. The first was a gorgeous 185 inch typical but I didnít make a move. The second was a 28-30 inch heavy 4x4 that I didnít make it to in time as another hunter turned him up 10 minutes before my arrival but missed badly and sent the buck cruising. I sat down anyway and started my evening glassing. Just before I started to gather my things to leave I peaked over behind me to where the earlier hunter had wiffed.......sure as #####, there was another buck. I threw up the binos and was instantly stoked at what I was looking at. I quickly ranged him at 340 yards but didnít have time to dope my scope so aimed at the top of his back and let the Ackley eat. The unmistakable third of a solid hit echoed back as the buck went down. Little did I know the shot was low and it took out both shoulders at the bottom of his brisket. Long story short, I found him still alive after dark but wasnít willing to shoot in the dark. I went back at 11:00, giving him 4 hours to expire. I was sickened to hear crunching oakbrush as I neared. I once again backed out and returned to my wall tent, trying to fall asleep as I ran different scenarios through my head. My alarm rang but I had no need for it as I was already awaiting it. First light found me working in on the last location of the crunching brush. I methodically made my way across the draw, glassing and listening every couple steps. I knew I was close! A few more steps and I caught a glimps of antler and a body bedded in the brush, it was him, dead so I thought! I got within 10 feet before he tried jumping to his feet on two nubs.....It made me sick that an animal could take that kind of trauma. I backed up and slung a final round into him. What a wild solo trip!

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...

What a GREAT stud buck, you are one of the best hunters on this cite. Always consistant every year with big bucks. It always sucks when one is wounded and they have to suffer!

I once broke a bucks back and had to go to him up a steep hill. The brush was high so I had to get within 10-15 feet from him to put him down. 7 years later I still feel bad about it and can't imagine how scared he was hearing me coming and knowing he couldn't move...... Sad deal for sure

In the end glad you found him and he did not get away or get eaten alive by coyotes!

You are correct, Iím shooting a 280 AI aka the ďrainbow riderĒ. Haha well thatís her nick name since them 180 Bergers laub out at a whopping 2650 FPS but my gads itís a tack driver given you can call the dope!!

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...

>You are correct, Iím shooting a >280 AI aka the >ďrainbow riderĒ. Haha well >thatís her nick name since >them 180 Bergers laub out >at a whopping 2650 FPS >but my gads itís a >tack driver given you can >call the dope!! >>>Sit tall in the saddle, hold >your head up high, keep >your eyes fixed to where >the trail meets the sky... >

You do bring up an interesting scenario. Do you shoot in the dark to finish a wounded animal. I am not sure what the best course of action is. Does anyone know if it is legal to finish an animal after legal shooting time ends? I have never been in the situation, but you never know when this may come up in the future.

GoHigher, I expect it is illegal to shoot after dark for any reason in most states, but still a good question to run by the warden. Or better yet, email the question so you have a documented answer.

It's one of those situations where ethics and the law may be at odds. That being said, just how dark can you see well enough to shoot? To clearly see what's behind the animal? My rifle scope will let me see clearly enough for about 10 minutes past legal shooting light (maybe 15+ minutes with the binos), depending on cloud cover, moon, etc...

Congrats liecabucks! That's a great buck, love the mass! I have one with stickers in the exact same places that looks a whole lot like yours! I'm with you on shooting at night, but after reading about his will to survive I'm glad I didn't have to make your decision, I'm sure it wasn't pleasant.

ICM....yes you are correct, it is a 280 Ackley. The math would work on a 140 grained bullet but when I started to build the rifle I wanted to push the heaviest grain bullet the factory pencil dik barrel(only factory thing left)would stabilize. To my surprise, 180 grain Bergers with 59.3 grains of retumbo was the ticket but at a whopping 2640fps ........well you can do the math. Zeroed at 100, she rainbows 18 inches at 340. I sure enjoy shooting that sucker though!!!3 shot group @445 180 Bergers. Nosler brass 5-7 times loadedFederal 215 primer 35 thou jump59.3 gr retumboDead nutz 7 lb rifle

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...

That cartridge continues to blow my mind. Iíve always been from the bigger is better camp but Iíve put those on the shelf for this rifle. Itís light, economical to reload, great barrel life, easy on the shoulder and if you can get it to stabilize one of the high bc bullets it has more than enough to make those LR shots given you have the capacity to call the shot correctly. Itís no point at 500 yards and shoot caliber......I think thatís one thing I like about it with all of our technology, the setup isnít fool proof lolWeíve taken so many variables out of western hunting!!!! Letís go back to spears.

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...

Liecabucks, great story and certainly even nicer buck. My experience has been that animals that are not put out quickly and undergo trauma/ stress for any amount of time, the table fare from that animal irregardless of age, tends to be tough to eat! Was wondering if you experienced the same?

Man, Iíd have to say itís been delicious so far. Iíve been whittling on it while hanging the quarters from the rafters aging. My boy loves it more than about any other food. Deer steak, itís always whatís for dinner at our residence!

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...